Tile sponge

ABSTRACT

A tile sponge is provided for cleaning the space between adjacent tiles in the installation of all tile applications. The tile sponge has an elongated flange comprised of a flexible material such as rubber that extends outwardly a predetermined distance intermediate the sponge absorbing material. The flange is sized so as to fit snugly into the space between the tiles to remove material therein while, at the same time, the sponge material can be in direct contact with the edges of the adjacent tiles to soak up liquid on the tiles as the sponge progresses along the space. The lateral cross section of the tile sponge may be a parallelogram where the internal angles are other than 90 degrees.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a sponge for cleaning the space between tiles during the installation of all tile applications such as floors, walls, counter, and the like, and, more particularly, to a tile sponge having a flexible flange extending outwardly from the sponge along an edge thereof that is specially adapted to enter the spaces between tiles in preparation for grouting.

It is common with the installation of tile to apply a coat of an adhesive material, such as quick-set, on the surface to which the tile is to be installed, in preparation for the tile. After the adhesive material has been so laid, the tiles are applied over the adhesive that is allowed to set so as to adhere the tiles to the supporting surface. During the laying of the tiles, however, there is an accumulation of adhesive that enters into and remains in the space between adjacent tiles.

It is, therefore, important to remove any accumulation of the adhesive that is present in the space between the tiles before it dries so that the grout can be later applied to fill that space entirely.

A sponge is normally used to clean out the space between tiles. However, since the space between the tiles is very narrow and fairly deep, it is difficult to get the sponge to enter into and clean out that space between the adjacent tiles. As a result, the task of removing all of the adhesive becomes arduous and time-consuming.

It would therefore be advantageous to have a specially designed and constructed sponge having a means to enter into the space between adjacent tiles and more fully and easily remove the adhesive that has accumulated in that space in order to later fill that space with grout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a tile sponge that is specially designed and constructed so as to allow the user better and more complete access to the space between the tiles to clean that area for the later application of grout.

The tile sponge of the present invention is used in cleaning the space between adjacent tiles of all tile applications. While one application for which the present invention is applicable is in the laying of tile for a floor, as can be seen, the present tile sponge may be used for any tile applications, including, but not limited to as counters, walls and the like.

The tile sponge is, in the exemplary embodiment, generally rectilinear, or having a lateral cross section of a parallelogram with its internal angles other than 90 degrees, and has at least two generally planar sides. At least one flange is comprised of a flexible material such as hard rubber, and extends outwardly from the junction of two planar sides.

The tile sponge is comprised of an absorbent sponge material with the exception of the one or more flanges and, in each instance, the sponge material is flush up against and abuts the flange so that the absorbent material is present immediately proximate to each lateral side of the flange.

There have been other sponges that are used for different purposes, that is, other than the cleaning and removal of material from between adjacent tiles of a tile application. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,745 of Jacobsen, there is a sponge that is used for washing windows and a squeegee edge is incorporated into the sponge. The squeegee edge is triangular in shape and, in FIG. 3, includes a bead that extends outwardly from the triangular shaped edge that is a closed cell, non-absorbent material. As such, the sponge of Jacobsen is probably useful as a squeegee for cleaning windows but is not suitably for the removal of material from the space between adjacent tiles where it is important that the absorbent material of the sponge contact the edges of the tiles while the flange is interposed into the space.

In another instance, in Fany, U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,567, there is a sponge for ridding the painted surface of a car of soapy water. Fany illustrates a plurality of V-shaped ribs, however, again, the material just proximate to the ribs is a non-absorbent material and the geometry of V-shape ribs is not suitable for use in the removal of material from the space between adjacent tiles of a tile application.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an end view of the tile sponge of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tile sponge of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the method of using the tile sponge of FIGS. 1 and 2 to clean the space between adjacent tiles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown, an end view and a perspective view, respectively, of a tile sponge 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. As can be seen, in the exemplary embodiment, the tile sponge 10 has a shape that has a lateral cross-section of a parallelogram where none of the internal angles are 90 degrees, that is, not a rectangle, although other shapes may be used consistent with the present invention.

As such, the shape in FIG. 2 has an upper surface 12, a lower surface 14, end surfaces 16, 18 and side surfaces 20, 22. The tile sponge 10 is comprised of a sponge material that is absorbent to liquid and the reasons for the absorbance will become clear. The internal acute angles A may range from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, and the obtuse angles B may range from about 120 degrees to about 150 degrees.

There can also be seen a pair of flanges 24 that extend outwardly from an edge of the tile sponge 10. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, two flanges 24 are illustrated, however, there may be only one flange 24 or there may be more than two flanges 24 with the present invention. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the flanges 24 are located at diagonal edges of the tile sponge 10.

In FIG. 1 it can be seen that the flanges 24 extend outwardly from the intersection of planes of the upper surface 12 and a side surface 20 and extend at least substantially along the intersection of those planes. It is important that the remaining material of the tile sponge 10 be the absorbent sponge material so that the sponge material touches upon and directly abuts against each of the sides of the flanges 24.

The flange 24 is a flexible material and may be rubber with sufficient stiffness to enter into the space between adjacent tiles to rid that space of unwanted material. The flanges 24 are rectangular with a rounded tip 25 similar to a tile spacer to help the flanges 24 travel along the spaces between adjacent tiles efficiently. The width W of the flange 24 is specially designed to fit into the normal spaces between tiles, that is, the widths of the flange 24 may be 1/16, ⅛, 3/16, ¼, 5/16 and ⅜ of an inch and the configuration or shape of each flange 24 is designed to allow the flanges 24 to be inserted snugly into the space between adjacent tiles. The depth D of the flange 24 is about 3/16 inch to assure that the flange 24 will sufficiently penetrate into the spaces between adjacent spaces to remove the material therein.

Turning then to FIG. 3, there is a side view of the tile sponge 10 being used to remove material from the space 26 located in between the adjacent tiles 28. As can be seen, the flange 24 is inserted into the space 26 so that it can clean out the material within the space 26 as the tile sponge 10 and flange 24 move along the longitudinal axis of the space 26. The adjacent tiles 28 are secured to the floor by means of an adhesive 30, such as thin-set.

At the same time, since the sponge material surrounds and abuts up against the flange 24, the tile sponge 10 can absorb any liquid along the facing edges of the tiles 28 simultaneously as the flange 24 is moving within the space 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the sponge material is not directly contacting the tiles 28 in order to better see the location of the flange 24 within the space 26, however in practice, the user will normally push downwardly on the tile sponge 10 so that the flange 24 moves within the space 26 while the sponge material is simultaneously contacting the facing edges of the adjacent tiles 28.

Further, in FIG. 3, there can be seen the rectangular geometry of the flange 24 that fits snugly into the rectangular space 26 between the two adjacent tiles 28. As such, with the dimensions of the flange 24 predetermined to be close to the dimensions of the space 26, the flange 24 can effectively remove the unwanted adhesive from that space 26 by sliding the longitudinal axis of the flange 24 within the space 26 along its longitudinal axis.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the tile sponge of the present invention which will result in a tile sponge and method of using the tile sponge, yet all of which will fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined in the following claims Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A tile sponge for cleaning a space between tiles that have been applied to a surface as part of an installation, the tile sponge having at least two generally planar sides and being comprised of a sponge material adapted to absorb a liquid, at least one flange extending outwardly along a junction of two planar sides, the sponge material extending to and abutting against the at least one flange.
 2. The tile sponge of claim 1 wherein the flange is flexible.
 3. The tile sponge of claim 1 wherein the flange is rubber.
 4. The tile sponge of claim 1 wherein the lateral cross section of the tile sponge is a parallelogram where the internal angles are other than 90 degrees.
 5. The tile sponge of claim 4 wherein internal acute angles are between about 30 degrees and 60 degrees.
 6. The tile sponge of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange is rectangular having a rounded tip.
 7. The tile sponge of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange is dimensioned to interfit snugly within a space between adjacent tiles.
 8. A method of cleaning the linear elongated space between two edges of tiles of a tile installation, the method comprising the steps of; providing a sponge having abutting generally planar surfaces and comprised of a adsorbent sponge material, the sponge having at least one flange extending outwardly from an edge formed by two intersecting planar surfaces, inserting the at least one flange into the space between adjacent tiles with the longitudinal axis of the flange aligned with the longitudinal axis of the space, moving the sponge along the longitudinal axis of the space to clean out material within the space while contacting edges of the adjacent tiles with the sponge material to wipe the edges of the tiles. 